The Nicodemus enterprise. [volume] (Nicodemus, Kan.) 1887-1887, 1887-10-05
A Hottentot and y THERMOMETERS.

A Hottentot and 4 THERMOMETER.
nv boy Pet was not handsome. In
deed, to European ideas, his small eyes
set obliquely III his face; his wide and
fiat nose with its distorted nOstrils, and
the bridge so little elevated that the
space between the cheek-bones was |
almost flat; his pr0truding lips and !
long and prominent but narrow and |
pointed chin might appear positively |
ugly, Notwithstanding the yerdicts Of
| the various Hottcntot bellies with
| whom he was on familiar terms, and
who evidently regarded him with APP
! proving eyes.
He was a pure Hottentot, of a type
now almost extinct; he was faithful;
tolerablv honest, except in matters in
| which food. drink, or money were con-
cerned: less Of q drunkard than most
of his compatriOts; and a liar of but
small CAPACITY. He was about five
feet four inches in height, and of
iaundiced yellow hue. His age
amounted to about 16 years in actual
time;but he appeared to be at least a
century old in wickedness and de-
= pravity.
+ D-kept q thermometer hung up on
, a nail which was driven into one OF
= the ridge-poles Of the tent, and the
. mercury in the tube aAd bowl much
exercised the mind of Pict. He asked
us frequently what it was for, anc
~ evidently regarded our explanations
- rs TO the use of the instrument as mere
- subterfugcs designed to disguise tn
y truth, asking:
} "What the use of such ting? S'pos
T see q cloud dis side over dar. den m
~ know rain soon catch dis part, an
!" make plenty cold. S'pose if you II
, able for tell if day hot or cold withou
co dem ting.
81 The word mercury" too, he cor
sidered a slang name we had lnyente
TX to describe the metal in the bowl; an
e. one day, when D-happened to ref'
ne to it as "quicksilver" in PETS presenc
1T | could see a sudden CLEAN OF INTEL
ld rcnce in the boys eyes, and please
he expression on his fat countenance,
p if he had at last received cOrr0boratl
I'm evidence of a fact which he had lOl
be suspected. Next day we came ba'
to from the claim somewhat earlier tn;
dy was our custom on account OF the u
M usual heat, and when D-Wcnt'
lal usual. toward the thermometer to
I'D what the temperature WAS, behold
ION thermometer was there!
ca We. of course, suspected net
once. and searched high and low
him. He was nowhere near our te
INT after some time we discover
him at little distance, cr0uched 90
of behind heap of ''stuh' near sor'
Ier- table, busiy engaged with someth'
ner on the ground. We approached
IT," on tip-toe, and bcheld an anus
the sicht. Before him on the ground
alls the broken thermometer and besloC
less in the dust. was Il glistcning little ST
en- olobule of mercury. PETS eyes W
oss- fastened upon this with il mingled.
in nression Of amaZement ana IriS
,itz, Every now and then he would cautI'
IT'D ly extend a finger and thumb and
error deavor to pick up the mercury, WI
the naturally escaped him and rolle'
, to one side. His action and expires
skill each time he found he had misSe
own were so absurd that at last we e
the NOT RESTRAIN our laughter; he ut
With hoard MS, looked round, and the
,cre- moment was dancing about and ]
cket ing grimaceS at Us TWO hO"''' !" }
The off. co..
here 1t was not until the p2hGS - ~
en- compelled him, toward inc e' u
i'm to approach the tent that wy :"
ment him. He expressed cohtrluoh'
9nted seemed to think, at tAe S''lIo
as that we had played shabby trlc
0 the him. 49,,
rs is What for you tell me that
when live in dem ting for?" he asked :
upp's YOU no say it witchcratt' ana I
GEN left him. That no good silver
lowed money silver. "-ALC inc 4C"T 1'0''